Rangers and Couriers
by Bralt
Summary: Based off the song Cowboys and Angels by Dustin Lynch, Halt comes home from a long mission and him and Pauline realize how lucky they are to have each other. Rated T for kisses and like one bad not so so bad word


**GREAT NEWS: I AM NOW A BETA READER PERSON THING!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or the song Cowboys and Angels that this story is based on**

**Okay so I 've always wanted to do a parody or something along the lines of that and when I heard this song (Cowboys and Angels by Dustin Lynch) I immediatley thought of RA. I modified the lyrics so they would fit RA (is that allowed?) But you should really check this song out, it's good**

_There's a want and there's a need_

Pauline sat in the cabin in the edges of the forest staring at the door, waiting impatiently for it to open. Usually she would be up at the castle in the room she shared with her husband but they usually met here when he returned from a mission. Halt had been gone for almost three months on a mission to Skandia to make sure everything was in order and the treaty still held. She had been patiently waiting but now she was tired of it, she wanted, needed, Halt to be here, three months was to long for her to not be near him.

_There's a history between_

Usually she would have accompanied him on the mission, as had been the tradition when a Ranger went to make sure a treaty held but her offer had been politely declined and instead Alyss had went. She remembered all the missions she had accompanied Rangers on, only the ones with Halt had she ever felt truly safe.

_Girls like her and guys like me_

They were so different in so many ways but she only loved him more for that fact.

_Rangers and Couriers_

_I've got arrows and she's got brains_

Pauline smiled as she remembered the times Halt had wanted to put an arrow through the leaders of other countries they were checking in on. They would always insult her and test her to see if she was a good enough diplomat to do her job. The only thing that had ever stopped him was a slight shake of her head, her training had taught her that letting him do something like that would only make matters worse. It was her brains that had kept them out of trouble now that she thought of it.

_I'm hell on a horse and she's heavenly_

Pauline smiled again as she remembered something Baron Arald had once told her after one such mission where Halt had been moments away from stuffing an arrow down the throat of a rude baron. Arald had said that Halt was like hell on a horse. He was ready to take action without thinking while she was heavenly. She only ever resorted to violence if the situation absolutely demanded it and even then she might not do it.

_I'd die for her and she lives for me_

As time ebbed on Pauline started getting worried, she was fairly sure Halt wouldn't die on a mission but one couldn't be sure. She remembered how on several missions bandits and murderers would threaten them and Halt would bravely stand between her and the fugitive, ready to die for her if it came time. She also remembered how she had promised him that if he ever died she would keep living life and not brood over his death and let it rule her life. Pauline quickly shook the thought out of her head; it would do no good to think like that.

_Rangers and Couriers_

_We work side by side_

Pauline was thinking of leaving. Halt would be tired by the time he got back she supposed and he might be too tired to talk to her even if she was his wife. She sighed; at least they would see each other when the baron called them to his office to discuss the mission. They worked together so it helped to keep them both on the same page.

_A cloaked figure, a diplomat_

Her head snapped up from the resting position she had held it in for so many hours as she heard soft hoof beats outside and a few minutes later the door opened. Happiness quickly dominated her weariness as she ran to greet her beloved. They stood there just inside the door, a cloaked figure and a diplomat.

_My touch is her temptation_

Halt barely had time to get inside before Pauline enveloped him in a hug; she had gone three months without his strong arms around her and couldn't bear to wait any longer. His arms wrapped around her meant safety for the both of them, it tempted her. He returned the embrace and after a few moments tried to release but she wouldn't let him go. He ended up leaning back to look into her face, seeing her beautiful beaming face made him smile under his cloak.

_Her kiss is my salvation_

The mission had been a hard one filled with rude men and threats on his life. Sometimes he wished that he could escape it all and just leave. But as she leaned forward and laid her soft lips on his those thoughts left. She was his rescuer. She was what made him risk his life every day to keep the country safe.

_She's sweet, I'm sly, we're dangerous_

The couple made their way to the table and Pauline sat beside Halt as he made himself a cup of coffee. She kept asking about his wellbeing and whether or not he needed anything. At one point her worriedness made him want to hide in the shadows for a while. That was how he was, he'd rather hide then be cared for and she'd rather take care of him then let him be. She was too sweet sometimes in his opinion.

_Rangers and Couriers_

_I'm not sure why her path crossed mine_

They sat at the table until Halt finished his coffee and led her over to the hearth in front of the fireplace where a bright glow lit the room. They sat there, Pauline resting her head on his shoulder. Halt stared into the fire feeling the most happy he had in three months. Soon his thoughts began to drift to the beauty beside him and he considered the first time they had met. He had been talking to Crowley one moment and the next he was on the ground where Pauline had run into him.

_Accident or grand design_

As he thought more about it, Halt realized that it had been a complete accident they had met. Pauline had merely tripped on a rope that a careless stable hand had left lying around. Had somebody been considerate and picked the rope up, they would never have met and he never would have been happy like he was now.

_Maybe Gorlog just kinda likes_

He looked down into her peaceful face that was resting on his shoulder and she looked back at him with a smile dancing in her eyes. He thanked Gorlog then and there for that day when she tripped and knocked him down. A feeling hit Halt and he realized that it was certainty. He knew that if she hadn't tripped then something, maybe the gods, would have made them come together anyways.

_Rangers and Couriers_

_We work side by side_

As the night wore on and Pauline fell to sleep resting in Halt's arms he sighed. He had been looking forward to spending the night talking with his wife and catching up. At least they worked by each other and he would see her the next day.

_A cloaked figure, a diplomat_

The entire night they sat there by the fire, a cloaked Ranger with a diplomat resting in his arms by the fire.

_My touch is her temptation_

Pauline dreamt of a life without Halt, it was more of a nightmare than anything else but she couldn't wake. She dreamt that Halt had been captured and she could never feel his strong body surrounding hers again. That had been enough to make her wake up and try to find Halt's strong arms.

_Her kiss is my salvation_

As she re-settled herself in Halt's arms she noticed that he seemed troubled. Slowly she kissed his lips again and the clouds cleared from his eyes. Leaving the dark circles looking at her lovingly. It was then and there that he realized how much he loved her and how much he dreaded going on another long mission. But he would have to if he didn't want the country to dissolve into war and damage what they held now.

_She's sweet, I'm sly, we're dangerous_

_Rangers and Couriers_

_There's a want and there's a need_

Pauline woke up the next morning still in the position she had fallen asleep in, wrapped in a hug by Halt. He was awake; he had woken up a while ago but hadn't been able to drag himself away from her. He needed to stay by her as long as he could.

_There's a history between_

_Girls like you and guys like me_

_Rangers and Couriers_

**As usual, please review, they made the button bigger for a reason. And umm...just tell me if you liked it or not**


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